Lisbon Strategy and the implementation of neoliberal “reforms” in Europe
In March 2000, the EU summit adopted the "Lisbon strategy"; its objective: the EU to become  "the world's most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy" by 2010.

In order to achieve this goal, an overall strategy should be applied, aiming at:

• stepping up the process of structural reform for competitiveness in creating more favourable conditions for businesses and innovation and enhancing flexibility on the labour market,

• by completing the internal market, opening hitherto protected sectors;

• and by modernising the European social model, investing in people and combating social exclusion.

The Lisbon strategy enjoys top priority of Barroso’s EU-Commission and is considered to be as imortant as the creation of the European common market, the introduction of the Euro and the EU enlargement.

Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for Industry and Enterprise stated that "the Commission will use all instruments to create favourable conditions for enterprises to enable them to be competitive on the world market."  The Lisbon strategy is the neoliberal framework for the destruction of the social welfare state in Europe.
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